Rainy Day Tomato Soup

looking for a way to keep warm on a cold rainy day? my rainy day tomato soup warms from the inside out. it's filling enough by itself for dinner, or add a salad or some grilled sausage to stretch your menu a little further.

Rainy Day Tomato Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 oz pancetta, chopped (substitute bacon if you like)
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cups cubed rustic italian bread
6 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice (you can use the kind with garlic and basil too)
1/4 cup coarse chopped basil (2 Tbls of dried)
1/2 teas dried oregano
1/4 teas red pepper flakes (crushed)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 marscapone (u can substitute cream cheese)
1/4 sour cream (you can substitute plain yougurt)

heat olive oil in large pot, add pancetta and saute till golden and crispy, remove from pan. add onion to pan and saute. add bread and coat with drippings, saute till crisp and golden. (if needed you may add a little more olive oil to help coat the pan and the bread. add chicken stock, tomatoes, basil , oregano, red pepper to pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer about 10 mins. taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

mix marscapone and sour cream together and use to top your steamy bowl of warm and satisfying soup. For my cheese lovers out there you can top with shaved parm or romano cheese!

I don't know about you, but after just typing this recipe I'm hungry. I think I will make some myself, the weather outside is perfect for it.